Method and apparatus for measuring blood pressure

ABSTRACT

A method of measuring blood pressure having the following steps. The steps of making a subject squat down, making the body of the subject remain stationary during a fixed time in the squatting position, making the subject stand up from the squatting position, and measuring blood pressure of the subject in the standing position. A method of measuring blood pressure having also the following steps. The steps of making a subject squat down, making the body of the subject remain stationary during a fixed time in the squatting position and measuring blood pressure of the subject, making the subject stand up from the squatting position, measuring blood pressure of the subject in a standing position, and comparing the blood pressure measured in the squatting position with the blood pressure measured in the standing position. An apparatus for measuring blood pressure having a pole and a receiver is also disclosed. The pole is fixed perpendicular to a floor. The receiver supports a subject&#39;s arm on which a cuff is wrapped around. The cuff is connected to a sphygmomanometer. Moreover, the receiver slides up and down along the pole as the body of the subject moves up and down.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of measuring blood pressureand an apparatus for carring out the method.

More particularly, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus ofmeasuring blood pressure of a subject changing from a squatting state toa standing state.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, blood pressure is pressure which blood applies to an arterysystem receiving blood which has been output owing to contraction of theleft ventricle of the heart.

In the other words, blood pressure is pressure within a blood vessel,that is to say, internal pressure.

In detail, blood pressure includes three internal pressures artery, veinand capillary.

However, it is usual that blood pressure is the internal pressure ofartery, that is to say, arterial pressure.

The above blood pressure is defined by many factors consisting ofcontraction or blood volume of the heart, extension or inside diameterof the arterial wall, partial structure and adhesion of blood etc.

That is to say, blood pressure changes according to variation of theheart, blood vessel and circulating blood volume etc.

Hence, by measuring blood pressure it is possible to discover a heartdisease, determine a procedure to treat the disease, and judge theeffect of the procedure.

Methods for measuring the above blood pressure are divided broadly intoa direct method and an indirect method.

The direct method is a method in which blood pressure is measureddirectly with a transducer connected with a catheter inserted into theblood vessel.

On the contrary, the indirect method is a method in which blood pressureis measured indirectly with a cuff wrapped around an arm of a subject.

The indirect method has advantages that blood pressure is capable ofbeing measured easily in a home owing to simple construction of anapparatus, and that it is to be measured repeatedly during a short timewithout pain.

Recently, in particular, the use of an automatic sphygmomanometer is nowwidespread among homes, which sphygmomanometer detects a Kolotkoff soundwith a microphone incorporated in the cuff wrapped on the arm, anddisplays in digital form the maximum and minimum valves of the bloodpressure measured.

Therefore, even if people have no expert knowledge, they can easilymeasure blood pressure with the automatic sphygmomanometer, that is tosay, with the indirect method.

The prior indirect method is as follows.

That is to say, as above-mentioned, blood pressure always changes, andso it is often influenced by a posture of a subject whose blood pressureis measured.

Accordingly, when blood pressure is measured, it is necessary to keepthe subject in a stable environment in both mind and body.

Hence, using the prior art indirect method, first, a subject should lieon the bed or sit down on a chair.

Additionally, the subject should weaken the force in the front portionfrom his elbow, and stretch his arm while opening fingers of his hand,assuming a comfortable posture.

In the above-mentioned state, after a cuff is wrapped around his arm,the artery of his arm is pressed by inputting air into the cuff, therebyblood pressure is measured based on the above indirect method.

However, the conventional indirect method has the problem that it isimpossible to discover high or low blood pressure which a subject has incase of standing up, that is to say, standing high blood pressure orstanding low blood pressure.

The standing high or low blood pressure has been noticed recently.

For example, a splitting headache occuring the moment that a subjectstands up is caused by the standing high blood pressure, thereby bloodpressure rises up to 160 or more, and also the heart beat increases.

Moreover, orthostatic syncope is caused by the standing low bloodpressure.

As above-mentioned, with the conventional indirect method, since bloodpressure is measured by means that a subject lies on the bed or sitsdown on the chair, the standing high or low blood pressure cannot bedetermined easily.

Accordingly, a subject who has abnormality in his body as he hasoriginally the standing high or low blood pressure, which pressurecannot be determined with the conventional indirect method, will notreceive exact diagnosis and treatment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to discover easily the standinghigh or low blood pressure by means of measuring a subject's bloodpressure when he stands up.

The above-mentioned object can be achieved by a method of measuringblood pressure comprising, making a subject P squat down, making thebody of said subject P remain in a stationary state during a fixed timein the squatting state, making said subject P stand up from saidsquatting state, and measuring blood pressure of said subject P in thestanding state. The method of measuring blood pressure comprises thesteps of making a subject P squat down, making the body of said subjectremain in a stationary state during a fixed time in a squatting stateand measuring blood pressure of said subject P, making said subject Pstand up from said squatting state, measuring blood pressure of saidsubject P in a standing state, and comparing said blood pressuremeasured in said squatting state with said blood pressure measured insaid standing state. An apparatus for measuring blood pressure comprisesa pole 1 for being fixed perpendicular to a floor 11, and a receiver 2for supporting a subject P's arm on which a cuff 3 is wrapped around,said cuff 3 connected with a sphygmomanometer 4, and for sliding up anddown along said pole 1 as the body of said subject P moves up and down.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the detailed description below with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A to 1D are drawings of a method in accordance with the first andsecond embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a drawing of an apparatus in accordance with a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a drawing of a pole and a receiver constituting the thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed drawing of a receiver constituting the thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a drawing of the relationship between a receiver and a poleconstituting the third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a drawing of a mechanism for adjusting the length of a poleconstituting the third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a method in accordance with the first embodimentof the present invention.

1 First, a subject P squats down.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a subject P squats down on a floor 11, by bendinghis knees.

2 Additionally, a cuff is wrapped around an arm of the subject P.

As shown in FIG. 1B, a cuff 3, which is connected with asphygmomanometer 4 through a tube 7, is wrapped around a left arm of thesubject P.

The cuff 3 together with the subject P's arm is put on a receiver 2,which receiver 2 may slide up and down along a pole 1, which pole 1 isfixed perpendiculer to the floor 11.

3 The body of the subject is maintained in a stationary state during afixed period.

As shown in FIG. 1C, while the cuff 3 is wrapped around the arm of thesubject P, as P is squatting down, his body is made to become stationaryduring a fixed period, for example, about 10 minutes.

4 Finally, the subject stands up, and his blood pressure is measuredwith the sphygmomanometer 4 at this standing state.

As shown in FIG. 1D, when the subject P stands up from his squatingstate (see FIG. 1C), the receiver 2, on which his arm is supported, alsoup along the pole 1, according to rising motion of his body.

When the motion of the subject P's body stops as he stands up, therising motion of the receiver 2 also stops, and at this moment bloodpressure is measured with the sphygmomanometer 4.

The indirect method with the sphygmomanometer 4, in which change ofblood flow is used, is as follows.

That is to say, as well known, air is input into a bag housed within thecuff 3 through the tube 7, thereby the arm of the subject P is pressed,according to the degree of which pressure, blood flow changes.

FIG. 1 is also a drawing of a method in accordance with the secondembodiment of the present invention.

1 First, a subject P squats down.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a subject P squats down on a floor 11, by bendinghis knees.

2 Additionally, a cuff is wrapped around an arm of the subject P.

As shown in FIG. 1B, a cuff 3, which is connected with asphygmomanometer 4 through a tube 7, is wound round a left arm of thesubject P.

The cuff 3 together with the subject P's arm is put on a receiver 2,which receiver 2 may slide up and down along a pole 1, which pole 1 isfixed perpendiculer to the floor 11.

3 The body of the subject is put under a stationary state during a fixedperiod, and his blood pressure is measured.

As shown in FIG. 1C, while the cuff 3 is wrapped around the arm of thesubject P, as P is squatting down, his body is stationary during a fixedperiod, for example, about 10 minutes.

In this stationary state, his blood pressure is measured with thesphygmomanometer 4.

The indirect method with the sphygmomanometer 4, in which change ofblood flow is used, is as follows.

That is to say, as well known, air is input into a bag housed within thecuff 3 through the tube 7, thereby the arm of the subject P is pressed,according to the degree of which pressure, blood flow changes.

4 The subject stands up, and his blood pressure is measured with thesphygmomanometer 4 at this standing state.

As shown in FIG. 1D, when the subject P stands up from his squatingstate (see FIG. 1C), the receiver 2, on which his arm is supported, alsorises up along the pole 1, according to the rising motion of his body.

When the motion of the subject P's body stops as he stands up, therising motion of the receiver 2 also stops, and at this moment bloodpressure is measured with the sphygmomanometer 4.

5 Finally, a comparison is made of the blood pressure measured in thesquatting state with the blood pressure measured in the standing state.

That is to say, since the blood pressure measured in the squatting stateand the blood pressure measured in the standing state are displayed indigital form on the sphygmomanometer 4, dynamic variations of bloodpressure are measured by comparing them.

FIG. 2 is a drawing of an apparatus in accordance with the thirdembodiment of the present invention, in which reference numeral 1 is apole, 2 a receiver, 3 a cuff, and 4 a sphgymomanometer.

The pole 1 is fixed perpendiculer to a floor 11, which pole 1 iscomposed by a first tube 1A and a second tube 1B formed respectively incylindrical shape.

The first and second tubes 1A and 1B are telescopic tubes concentricwith each other.

On the top of the first tube 1A, a fastening member 8 is mounted, whichfastening member 8 fastens and fixes the second tube 1B so as to applyto a ceiling 12.

As shown in FIG. 6, the fastening member 8 is formed in flat andcylindrical shape, an upper portion 8A of which fastening member 8 ismounted on the top of the first tube 1A, and through which the secondtube 1B goes so as to be inserted within the first tube 1A. Withinfastening member 8, a female screw S8 is adapted to engage with malescrews S1, S2 . . . between notches K1, K2 . . . .

Thereby, when the fastening member 8 is made to rotate right and lefteach by putting fingers on an unevensess 8B as shown with an arrow C,the portions of the male screws S1, S2 . . . respectively fasten andloosen the second tube 1B.

Accordingly, since it is possible to displace the second tube 1B up anddown along the first tube 1A, the second tube 1B is capable of pushingthe ceiling 12 by adjusting the height of a circular disk 1B1 fixed tothe top of the second tube 1B with a supplementary member 1B2.

However, the pole 1 is not restricted to the above construction, whichpole 1 may be constituted by only the first tube 1A, if it is used in astable place.

On the bottom of the first tube 1A, a bottom plate 1A2 is disposedthrough a supplementary member 1A3, which supplementary member 1A3supports the first tube 1A perpendicular to the floor 11.

With this bottom plate 1A2 and the member 1A3, the pole 1 is fixedperpendicular to the floor 11.

The receiver 2 supports the the subject P's arm on which the cuff 3 iswound.

Moreover, the receiver 2 slides up and down along the pole 1 as the bodyof the subject P moves up and down.

The receiver 2 is constituted by a supporting plate 2A for supportingthe subject P's art on which the cuff 3 is wound and a slider 2B fixedto the supporting plate 2A, as shown in FIG. 2.

The cross section of the supporting plate 2A is concave slightly tosupport easily the subject P's arm, as shown in FIG. 3.

The slider 2B is formed in a cylinder shape as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and4, on which slider 2B a projection 2B1 elongates radially to the inside,which projection is inserted in a groove 1A1 formed axially on the firsttube 1A.

That is to say, the slider 2B is to slide up and down along the groove1A1 of the first tube 1, as shown with an arrow A.

A wire 9 is fixed to the projection 2B1 of the slider 2B, which wire 9is capable of being wound and unwound with a motor 5 so as to slide theslider 2B along the tube 1.

As another means for sliding the slider 2B, the wire 9 may be operatedby hand.

Moreover, a plurality of bearing B1, B2 . . . are arranged between theslider 2B and tube 1, whereby the slider 2B may slide more smoothly, asshown in FIG. 5.

The wire 9 elongates up inside of the tube 1, and elongates down asbeing suspended on a fixed pulley 10, thereafter the wire 9 goes outthrough an opening 1A4 at the bottom of the first tube 1A and isconnected with the motor 5, as shown FIGS. 3 and 4.

The fixed pulley 10 is disposed on an inner wall 1A5 of the first tube1A by means of mounting members 10A and 10B.

The motor 5 may be on the bottom plate 1A2 of the pole 1, and beconnected with the sphygmomanometer 4 through a cord 6 as shown in FIG.2, thereby the motor 5 is capable of being controlled from thesphygmomanometer 4.

That is to say, it is possible to carry out all the control of the motor5 from the side of the sphygmomanometer 4, which control includesswitching on the power supply, winding and unwinding the wire 9 etc.

The sphygmomanometer, 4 may be a supersonic automatic sphygmomanometer,and put on the floor 11 through a table as shown in FIG. 2, or be putdirectly on the supporting plate 2A if it is a small structure.

The operation of the third embodiment will be explained hereinafter.

First, the bottom plate 1A2 of the pole 1 is put on the floor 11, andthe disk 1B1 of the second tube 1B is made to push the ceiling 12 byadjusting the height of the tube while rotating the fastening member 8.

Thereby the pole 1 is fixed perpendicular to the floor 11.

Additionally, when the power supply of the motor 5 is switched on byoperating the sphygmomanometer 4, the wire 9 is unwounded as shown inFIG. 3, whereby the receiver 2 is made to move down along the pole 1 andto stop at the position where the subject P will squat down.

In this state, the subject P is made to squat down, and after the cuff 3connected with the sphygmomanometer 4 is wrapped around his arm, the armwith the cuff 3 is put on the receiver 2.

Thereafter, the body of the subject P remains in a stationary stateduring a fixed time, for example, 10 minutes.

Next, the subject P is made to stand up, and at the same time the wire 9is wound with the motor 5, thereby the receiver 2 moves up as the bodyof the subject P moves up.

When the body of the subject P stops moving, the receiver 2 is also madeto stop moving by switching off the power supply of the motor 5.

In this state, air is input into the cuff 3 through the tube 7, therebyblood pressure of the subject P is measured with the sphygmomanometer 4base on the indirect method, as well known.

As hereinbefore described according to the present invention, bloodpressure of the subject can be measured, not in the rest state where helie conventionally on the bed etc., but in the standing state.

Therefore, the present invention has the effect to discover easily thestanding high blood pressure or standing low blood pressure.

I claim:
 1. A method of measuring blood pressure of a subject P,comprising the steps of:making said subject P squat down into asquatting position; making the body of said subject P remain stationaryfor a fixed time in said squatting position; making said subject P standup from said squatting position into a standing position; and measuringblood pressure of said subject P in said standing position.
 2. Themethod of measuring blood as recited in claim 1, wherein said step ofmeasuring blood pressure in performed using a sphygmomanometer.
 3. Themethod of measuring blood pressure as recited in claim 2, wherein saidsteps of measuring blood pressure is preformed manually.
 4. A method ofmeasuring blood pressure of a subject P, comprising the steps of:makingsaid subject P squat down in a squatting position; making the body ofsaid subject remain stationary for a fixed time in said squattingposition and measuring blood pressure of said subject P; making saidsubject P stand up from said squatting position into a standingposition; measuring blood pressure of said subject P in said standingposition; and comparing said blood pressure measured in said squattingposition with said blood pressure measured in said standing position. 5.The method of measuring blood pressure as recited in claim 4, whereinboth steps measuring blood pressure are performed using asphygmomanometer.
 6. The method of measuring blood pressure as recitedin claim 5, wherein both steps of measuring blood pressure are performedmanually.